Locals, including MLA, earn honours at nationals

Qualicum Beach’s Thomas Riva and local MLA Michelle Stillwell both captured gold medals at the Canadian National Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta this past weekend.

Riva, a former member of the Oceanside Track and Field Club (OTFC) and University of Victoria Vikings Track and Field team, finished with a time of four minutes and 6.16 seconds, capturing gold in the 1,500 metre event.

Stillwell also captured a gold at the event, coming in first place in the women’s 100-metre. She also placed fifth in the 400-metre race as well.

Also competing were current OTFC member Thomas Oxland and alumni Alycia Butterworth. Oxland, who is heading to UVic next year with twin brother Peter, finished seventh in the junior men’s 800-metre.

Butterworth, coming off a stellar career at Idaho University, finished in fourth place in the 3,000 metre steeplechase, missing the podium by a hundredth of a second at 10:10.75.